I requested a NetGalley preview copy of this novel, but then I was surprised to discover that I had actually pre-ordered it for my Kindle several months ago! I love Rachel Hauck’s books, and I grab them as soon as I can get my hands on them.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society shifts among 5 different main characters, and each of them carries major baggage in the love and family department. Hauck reveals bits and pieces at just the right pace. Some of the revelations can be easily predicted, but they’re predictable because it’s what you want to happen for the characters. Some of the revelations are total curve balls, but they’re raw and real, with flawed human characters.

Hauck’s novels typically include a background character who is clearly an angel, bringing people together and bringing them to the point of confronting their need for faith. Christian fiction can have a tendency to over-spiritualize and avoid the harsh realistic parts of life in an effort to keep the story “clean,” but I have found that Hauck does a good job balancing these concerns and this novel is no exception.

The premise of the novel is that these 5 characters, mostly strangers, are brought together with invitations to a mysterious story society, but there are no directions for what they should do at these meetings or information about why they each belong there. As I read the scenes where they meet together, I found myself wondering whether I would’ve participated if I had received an invitation. Would I have convinced myself that I’d rather stay home in my pajamas and avoid being emotionally drained by trying to pull other people into conversation or listen to them supportively? Then it hit me that they have basically been put together what we call, in church circles, a “small group” or a “connection group” or a “life group.” The story society’s meetings end up being exactly what the goal of a church small group is: a collection of people who are doing life together, willing to be transparent and honest with each other. They don’t have to be best friends or even particularly close outside of the small group, but they can trust each other. Other relationships in their lives benefit from the growth they experience as part of this small group. I stepped into these characters’ stories for a couple of days while reading the book, but I’ll carry the memory of what they gained by opening themselves up and sharing with a small group. Maybe on Sunday nights, when I want to skip my small group and stay home to hibernate, I’ll think of Jett, Lexa, Coral, Chuck, and Ed, and I’ll drag myself back out and go to meet with my people.

I absolutely loved this book. The premise of strangers being invited mysteriously to a meeting set the tone for an interesting read. I thought that the characters seemed like 'real' people with problems, heart-ache and secrets. I loved how we learned about each character a 'layer' at a time.

The book was well-written and kept my interest will into the night. I hated to put it down but was sad when the story was over. I know this is one that I'll be rereading.

A book to get lost in, could be a Hallmark movie, and we are guessing right to the end.
Five people are each given invitations to a library at the Fifth Avenue Story Society, strangers, some are some were previously married, and two spent the night in jail together, but why are they here? Curiosity, yes, and yet they keep coming.
There are a lot of deep seeded problems that the folks are holding, and will this new group of now friends be able to help one another? The secrets that fall, most I never saw coming, yes, there are big surprises here, and now I wonder if more invites to needy souls will be forthcoming?
I love books with epilogues, and this one sure didn’t disappoint!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson and CelebrateLit, and was not required to give a positive review.

I enjoy reading Rachel Hauck's novels for the depth of characters and plot lines she puts into her books. When I picked up her latest book--The Fifth Avenue Story Society, I was a bit disappointed. Most of the time, I pick up one of her books and read straight through. This time, every little shiny object or every squirrel distracted me, and I just wasn't as captivated by the plot as I thought I would be.

There are five prominent characters: Lexa, Jett, Ed, Coral, and Chuck; each with their own troubles and their own conflicts, but none of these five are the main character. It is Gilda, the librarian who has called them all together--anonymously--to meet together and maybe find healing in the friendships they will develop in the Story Society. She is understated, coming out into the plot when she's needed to push things along. It's by her hand (so to speak) that the other characters find what they need.

This is a three star book, but only in my opinion. My thanks goes to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review.

My favorite Rachel Hauck book yet! A beautiful, heart warming story about five strangers brought together by a mysterious invitation. From the opening pages until long after the last page is turned, this story stays with you.

You easily fall in love from with the society members. Each are on a different path in live, from different economic backgrounds, yet come together to form this surprising cluster of friends. None of the society members know why they are there nor just how much they can learn from each other.

The stories of Ed, Chuck, Coral, Jett, and Lexa teach us the dangers of unchecked emotions, living in the past, and that living for Christ isn’t always the easy path. As a reader you find yourself gripped by each of their stories and may not even realize the layers they are opening up and peeling away in your own life.

I found myself wanting to climb into the book to be a member of The Fifth Avenue Story Society and relax by the fire in the Bower room surrounded by my newfound friends. Ms. Hauck does a magnificent job with her detailed storytelling to make you feel apart of each of their stories. It was a book I hated to see end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Five strangers receive a mysterious invitation. Well, three strangers and two estranged exes. Each of them is feeling at the end of their rope, but together—with a bit of divine meddling and intervention—they find the beginning of everything.

Rachel Hauck has a gift for weaving together stories and characters that touch the heart and invite readers to contemplate the mysteries of their own lives and faith. The Fifth Avenue Story Society is about rejecting the lies we tell ourselves and daring to find the truth that sets us free.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book contains a little bit of a mystery, one we never find resolved. But that does not detract from the book. It just adds a mystic. Five people are sent an invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society. They don't understand why they were chosen or the reason for the society. As the weekly meetings unfold, we are given a look into each character's lives. Even though they are a diverse group, they end up forming a very strong bond. As you might imagine, each character has a problem that they need to solve. The problems range from being very evident to those hidden deep. I, personally, felt like the book slowed down quite a bit in the last fourth of the book where the author reveals the history behind each person's problem. But the reader is satisfied to find out the cause of their predicaments. The ending was smooth and thorough.

I enjoy Rachel's books and enjoy it when she attends our book club meetings.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

I love the mystery Rachel Hauck weaves to her stories.
And I don't mean suspenseful mystery, I mean mystical, surprising, a mix of ordinary with otherworldly.
And in her newest release, "The Fifth Avenue Story Society", that was exceptionally done.

Five strangers receive an invitation to a story society. From whom? Why? Is it a joke?
But intrigue becomes stronger and they slowly commit their lives to a space of vulnerability and sharing. Of caring each other and caring for each other.

Rachel Hauck masterfully brought to life each character's story and jumping from 5 points of view was organically done. Second chances has never come sweeter through the power of stories.

The idea of this book intrigued me since I love books and libraries. Five unsuspecting New Yorkers are invited to a story society meeting in an old library that used to be part of a mansion. The variety of characters drawn together are all troubled, as we learn when they begin to share their stories. With five different points of view and so much going on outside the society meetings, it can be hard to track at first. But readers get to know and care about each of the individuals involved. Their love lives play a major role too. Some are divorced, and I rooted for them to work it out with their former partners because I don’t believe it’s God’s will for divorced people to remarry while their original covenant partner is still living. I did appreciate the faith element in the novel and how God worked in the characters’ lives. They did seem very real. I would not class this as a romance but more general fiction. The author knows how to tell a good tale. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society opens with the aftershocks of an altercation at a wedding, immediately introducing the reader to two of the main characters. Brushing the incident off as unfortunate but justified, the men return to their lackluster everyday lives. However, they soon both receive an invitation to a secret story society. Other characters who likewise receive the mysterious invitation filter into the story chapter by chapter, with small snippets of their pasts slowly revealed.
Despite their various backgrounds and levels of success, it quickly becomes apparent that each society member is grappling with their own personal and professional setbacks, unable to look deeply enough to cause change. The author has realistically shown how we can become victims of our own tunnel vision, shutting ourselves off from any other path. Instead of feeling frustrated with the characters for neglecting to see the light, it feels unsettlingly relatable.
As the five members continue returning to the meetings, they help each other grow and come to grips with their life events. They embody the traits we all hope for in a friend: loyalty, patience, enduring love and acceptance even when they don’t agree with our decisions. While the five are from all walks of life, all ages and socioeconomic levels, they bond on a soul to soul level that is inspiring and uplifting.
4.5 stars for this book that feels like a real life look into society’s hidden lives and for its overarching, heartwarming message of friendship and growth.
Thank you to JustReadTours and publisher for a complimentary advance copy. This had no impact on my review.

Rachel is a fabulous author. I don’t know how she manages to write the books she does. They touch a deep part of me and I become completely engrossed, even giving up sleep to read (this is a big deal for me).

This book has many threads through out and in the end the tread is pulled to bring it all together in a beautiful piece of art.

Each person in this book has a story. This resonated so much with me. That is the whole reason I started my blog, to share my story.

It isn’t until the walls come down and truth is spoken that these characters find freedom. This is truth.

I love how Rachel works in faith. She definitely doesn’t preach at the reader. Actually there were times I was like, where is Jesus in this? But He is there, as He always is.

If you have ever read one of Rachel’s books I am sure you will love this one and if you haven’t I encourage you to pick this one up.

Grab your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com or your favorite retailer.

A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own

3.5 stars, rounded up
I love Rachel Hauck's writing style, she draws me into the story and I am captivated until the end. This offering is intriguing, but there are a couple of things that didn't work that well for me in this novel.
One, you really need to have read The Writing Desk fairly recently (or remember it well) to get the full impact Jett's storyline. His research into one of the main characters of that book are a major plot point, and I can see how one would be bored during those parts and maybe a bit lost if you haven't read it. I personally loved that book, but it was a while ago so I needed a refresher. The second thing was that every character had a "big" secret, and I thought some of them were drawn out a bit too long, and their reactions and things they said seemed forced because they were trying to cover those secrets.
Those aside, I grew to really like all of the characters and cheered them on through their various emotional and spiritual journeys. I loved the theme of "the truth shall set you free" and how it manifested itself in many different ways throughout this book.
All in all, a great book from Hauck and worth the time to read it.

Rachel Hauck is one of those authors that you just know to expect a story with wonderful characters. As with any of the other books by her that I’ve read, I felt she did a remarkable job in the character creation department. Unfortunately for me though, there wasn’t a strong enough plot to keep the storyline moving and it made it harder to get into. I thought the story society was an interesting concept but there wasn’t enough mystery surrounding it, and the more important interactions seemed to occur outside of their meetings which made it feel less vital to the plot. There wasn’t anything that I strongly disliked at all, but it felt like both too much and not enough all at the same time. I’ve read several other books by this author and really enjoyed them, so I fully intend on reading more from her in the future, but this one just didn’t end up being for me.

*I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck
Source: NetGalley and Thomas Nelson
Rating: 4½/5 stars

**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: I generally like Rachel Hauck’s offerings, but I especially liked this book. In this instance, Hauck brought together, in a most mysterious way, five broken souls looking for a way back to happiness. For Lexa and Jett, it’s a matter of both personal and professional issues, for Coral it is predominately professional, and for Ed and Chuck, it is most definitely personal. All five members of the previously unknown Fifth Avenue Story Society have no idea why they have been brought together or by whom, but they know they need one another. As the weeks go by, each member of the Society becomes a bit more comfortable with the others and more willing to open up and share their respective stories. Each meeting offers each member a bit more confidence and courage to go into their next week and continue to face the issues that are plaguing their lives and keeping them from true happiness. Outside of one thing – the true identity of Gilda – I enjoyed every aspect of this read. I am always going to be a sucker for broken souls coming together and overcoming their issues. Hauck really delivers with this book and of all the books of her’s I’ve read, this one stands as my absolute favorite and it’s going to a truly special book to knock this one from the top spot.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society
by Rachel Hauck
Rating: 4.5/5

I am a huge fan of Rachel Hauck already but this book is a bit different and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Even though there are quite a few characters to keep track of, I felt each one got their moments of truth, and I needed to finish reading till the end. I definitely lost some sleep over finishing the story but it was worth it!

Meet the five people who make up the Fifth Avenue Story Society. Lexa is an executive assistant who works hard and deserves to be promoted to CEO if she can convince her boss. Jett is her ex-husband who is a professor researching his dissertation on his favorite author and dealing with his divorce and brother's death. Coral is a high society heiress running her grandmother's cosmetics company who recently left her fiancé - a prince - at the altar. Chuck is an Uber and limo driver trying to figure how he can see his twins more after his ex-wife put out a restraining order on him. Ed is an older gentleman who misses his wife and is desperately trying to write a memoir of their love story. Mysterious invitations brought these five people together and week after week, they share their stories and their struggles as they begin to heal and have hope for their futures.

I love when people's stories intertwine and you get to see it all come together as a reader like a beautifully woven tapestry. The different tones of the story made me laugh and cry. The characters have real struggles and problems that need to be worked through. The faith of one ends up sparking the faith in the others. The themes of forgiveness and redemption are woven throughout the story and I could definitely see this book becoming a Hallmark movie that makes me cry. There's something about Rachel Hauck's writing that draws the reader into her world and forces them to ask those hard questions and challenge themselves to think about what they would do if they were in her characters' same situations.

Beautifully written and highly recommended for those who enjoy some romance, some mystery, and people-watching.

My thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and CelebrateLit for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Intrigue. Mystery. Perspective. Relationship.  Each of these words is how I would describe The Fifth Avenue Story Society. It begins with an invitation being sent to five individuals who are as different as they can be. The invitation is to attend a Story Society which is as ambiguous as the invitation itself. Who sent it? Why did they receive it? Is there a connection? Those are the questions that will be discovered throughout the pages of book. 

It's not a fast paced mystery or suspense book, nor is it a riveting romance. I think I would describe it like a Sunday afternoon drive after church down the old country roads - like in the movies because who does this anymore. Or maybe like a long stroll down the beach where you let every sound, smell and touch sink into the depths of your soul. With the turn of every page you learn more about the characters pasts, current situations and hidden woes. Relationships between characters begin to develop as you see the layers of hurt, mistrust, anger and facades exposed. Perspectives shift with every passing week but the mystery is still looming - because what is a Story Society anyway. No spoilers here, so you will just have to read it for the answers to all of these questions. 

The storyline is so deep and thought out, as well as being unique and powerful. It is definitely a book that I will go back and read again, because I know I will find more truths and wisdom the second time through. It's also a book that will make you think about the people you encounter in your every day path and maybe even give you a new lens to see them through. If you haven't already figured it out, I highly recommend reading The Fifth Avenue Story Society. 

I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a book I did not want to put down. I loved the five people that get an invitation to join a story society. Each of these people have been living a lie and they need help to confess what is wrong. I love how they became friends even though they were all so different. There were a few twists and turns as we learned each of the characters truths. I also loved the romance. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I was quite surprised by this book and I wish I could give it a higher rating, but I cannot. There were as many things that I liked about the story as disliked. I love having different points of view and the five different characters in this book made it very interesting, and each section is labeled with the character’s name so it’s not difficult to follow who’s who. I loved the weaving together of each of the five life stories. Each character had deep personal struggles to overcome and the author does not shy away from the ugliness of life in general and life without Christ. At first, I was confused and thought the book seemed more clean than Christian, but that is simply to set the stage as four out of the five characters are unsaved, and one is a new Christian who is hiding their light under a bushel. As these five characters begin meeting in the Fifth Avenue Library, you will love watching both their pasts and presents unfold. The ending is filled with hope for the future and a beautiful resolution.
However, there is frequent mention of both alcohol consumption (even getting drunk), plus the use of foul language. At one point, wingdings are used to represent a character’s cuss word. Also, it deserves mention that sex, lovemaking, and being naked are all thought about by the characters, especially the divorced couple, Jett and Lexie. It was a lot more than I would expect out of a Christian book. One other thing, there is a supernatural element to the story that I just found odd.
If this book was a movie, it would be classified at least a PG-13. I don’t recommend it for anyone under the age of 18. If the things I’ve mentioned don’t bother you, then you will love this book, it is well written from a story perspective, however this wasn’t really my cup of tea and I won’t be recommending it to my friends.

Fifth Avenue and a secret society set the tone for Rachel Hauck's latest read. After receiving a mysterious invitation to meet at the Fifth Avenue library, five strangers gather to share stories while rewriting their futures. While grappling why this group was 'booked' the reluctant members become friends and take note of others' lessons. While unlocking pieces of their past, they are constructing new possibilities.

I was provided an early read by the publisher for an honest review. As the story developed, I was intrigued by the characters and how the unlikely group, became friends. Until the invitations emerged, I had trouble getting hooked by the story. After their first meeting, I looked forward to them cementing friendships and chasing dreams they locked away afraid to pursue.

#TheFifthAvenueStorySociety #NetGalley

Ms. Hauck’s new story is reminiscent of Dame Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians minus the ominous tone, and set in a private room in a library rather than an isolated island. Five characters drawn together by no more than a curious invitation.
Like a well-crafted time-slip story, The Fifth Avenue Story Society weaves the lives of its otherwise disparate members into a single thread, criss-crossing until a colorful and beautiful tapestry emerges. Ms. Hauck takes each of her characters on a journey of self-discovery, forcing them to dig deep—and anointing them with healing.
So many things in this story that resonate deeply with this reader—the bond between friends, the individual histories of the characters, the courage to face their pasts and embrace their future, and the books! Of course the books.
Though seemingly a random selection of random people, they soon discover that each has something the others need—so true in life; the most random people sometimes have the very thing we need.
Of the books I’ve read by this author, this story far outshines them all. Perhaps it’s more reminiscent of an invitation written two thousand years ago…

ROBIN’S FEATHERS
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, The Fifth Avenue Story Society, Rachel Hauck, Celebrate Lit